


Loner

by Deonara2012



Category: CN Blue, CNBLUE (Band)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-11-28
Updated: 2012-12-03
Packaged: 2017-11-19 19:11:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,075
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/576675
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Deonara2012/pseuds/Deonara2012
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>I saw the MV for "I'm a Loner" (if you haven't seen it, you should. It's FUN), and the idea of the thing grabbed me. So here is my interpretation of what is going on behind the scenes. It has been a blast.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Loner, Part 1

**Author's Note:**

> Not Mine, Not True

Lee JungShin couldn't have said where the woman came from. To be honest, right now he didn't care. She pressed against him, caught between him and the wall of the building they stood against, curved in all the right places, and her lips and tongue... just wow. She tasted so sweet, everything else (including where they stood and who he was and the impact this could have on the rest of the band) fled his mind.

"There's a place not too far from here," she murmured in his ear, one hand playing in his hair, the other hot on his chest. "Not too expensive, not too cheap. Want to go?"

He had to catch his breath before he could respond. "Sure." It flashed briefly through his mind to wonder why , but the tightness of his pants and the sheer need she'd aroused in him made that question vanish.

She pushed him away from her and started down the street, glancing behind her. He nearly groaned, taking a moment to get some sort of composure before going after her. He caught up in moments. They didn't speak, but then why should they? This had little to do with words or even names.

They walked a couple of blocks to a discretely marked hotel. JungShin had opened the door when his watch chimed, and he glanced at it. His eyes widened, the time creating the same effect as if he'd been doused in cold water. "Oh... crap. Look. I'm sorry. I can't... I've gotta go."

She grabbed his hand, playing gently with his fingers, and leaned closer, pressing her chest against his again. "You sure it can't wait?"

Her breath brushed his cheek, his ear, and everything tightened again. He squeezed his eyes shut to get control. "Yes," he said finally, opening them again. "I'm already late. Maybe another time." He kissed her and ran.

It had taken them weeks to set up this gig. YongHwa was going to kill him. He'd never hear the end of it from MinHyuk or JongHyun. The thought made him run faster, dodging through the crowd. Rehearsal tonight, concert tomorrow, so his bass was already there. That may have contributed to his forgetfulness. He grabbed out his phone as he climbed on the bus, dialing each of the men in turn. None of them picked up his phone. In fact, it never rang on any of them, and went right to voice mail. He was in so much trouble. Even leaving a message probably wouldn't help, but he did it anyway.

He slipped into the backstage area and knelt by his bass, getting it out and quickly tuned. The rest would have to wait. He opened the door to go out to the stage. "Sorry I'm...."

JungShin blinked. Dead silence. He kept walking through the seats toward the stage, looking around. He mounted the stairs to the stage without seeing anyone. Was it some sort of trick? "Hello?"

"It's about time."

He jumped, spinning to look at the man behind the sound board. "I'm sorry I'm late," he said.

"Where are the rest of them?"

JungShin went very still. "They're not here?"

"No." The sound guy sounded very unhappy.

"Oh." JungShin straightened, putting his worry aside for now. "Will I be enough to figure out everything you need to?"

"I hope so."

JungShin did as the man asked, trying to remember everything about the rest of them as far as mic placement and height went. Grumbling, the sound man listened to everything as JungShin tried out each of the amps, and then he left, still muttering.

It made no sense. He wasn't that late, and if the sound man were right, the rest hadn't even shown up. JungShin sat down on one of the amps and began to warm up, hoping the mindlessness would help him think. And maybe give the guys a chance to show up, later than he'd been.

"You look disturbed."

JungShin looked up sharply and stared, his fingers fumbling with the note he played. He didn't know the old man standing in front of him, looking completely at ease and way out of place. He wore worn, comfortable clothes, and old straw sandals. He was some inches shorter than JungShin, or would be when JungShin stood. JungShin hadn't even heard him show up; was he that out of it? "I'm sorry?" he asked.

"Do you know where your friends are?"

"No. I thought they were already here; when I called on the way, their phones were off. I thought they'd started the sound check without me."

The man nodded. "And if you could help them?"

JungShin stared at him, his hand tightening on the neck of his bass. "They need help?" he asked, leaning forward.

"Yes," the man said, walked closer, and touched JungShin's forehead, compassion in his expression. JungShin wanted to ask about that, but then everything went black.

_:A motorcycle drove into an underground garage. The driver parked and dismounted, and then walked over to one of the pilings wide enough to hide behind, and sat down. He pulled his helmet off and set it next to him, then JongHyun leaned his head back._

_A noise startled him, and he looked around the piling. He ducked back, looking as if he had to do something he didn't want to. Four young men walked, laughing, down the dim hallway. He let them go past before standing up and following them a few steps. Then he called "Yah!" which got them to stop and turn around.:_

JungShin jerked his head back, eyes wide. "What...." he demanded, but didn't get any further than that.

The man touched his forehead again.

_:The library was quiet, complete with people studying. MinHyuk came into view, straightening, cleaning. He took a stack of books that looked entirely too heavy for him back into the stacks, carefully shelving them. He brushed dust off books that looked like they hadn't been touched in years.:_

JungShin jerked away again, one arm around himself, the other steadying the bass, eyes wide in disbelief. "I don't...." he started, his voice trembling.

The man touched him a third time, this time his expression sad.

_:YongHwa sat in a small room, big enough for a bed and a ladder he seemed to use to hang his clothes on. Someone had plastered the walls with pictures, and although there was a chair, YongHwa didn't use it. He sat on the floor and strummed idly on his guitar, a tune JungShin recognized but couldn't immediately name.:_

The man dropped his hand back to his side. "I don't understand," JungShin said softly, eyes still wide in surprise.

"Your friends have forgotten who they are and what they are. What they should be."

JungShin blinked, shaken. "Wh-what?"

"If they had not become this," the stranger gestured around the stage, "they are where they would have been."

JungShin rubbed his temple. A headache had lodged firmly behind his eyes, and he needed it to go away so he could concentrate. "Wait. You mean this is as if... CN Blue never happened? How do you know this?"

"That is not important," the man said. "Will you help them?"

"I don't know where they are. How can I?" JungShin demanded, the headache worsening.

The man sat next to him and gestured around the stage again. "Do you see?" he asked.

JungShin followed his hand, and then blinked. "The... gems?" he asked, suddenly thrown from his frustration. Where had those come from? They hadn't been there a moment ago, surely....

"Stored memories," the man told him. "Theirs. That one would have been yours." He pointed to JungShin's feet, where another crystal lay.

"Would have been...." JungShin picked it up and looked at it. It looked and felt no different than one of the decorative gems at some of the fancy dinners he'd been forced to attend."Why wasn't it?" And what do you mean, mine?

"She chose you, for some reason. Probably because she figures you had the least connection to the rest of them."

"She?" JungShin asked, turning the large crystal over.

"Yes. The rather insistent young lady who made you late getting here."

JungShin looked up, startled. "She... did this? Why?"

"That's not important," the man said, and held up a hand when JungShin would have protested. "What you need to know is how to break them out of it."

JungShin frowned, accepting that even though he wanted to know what was going on. "Okay. So. Leaving those there will be a mistake, right? Can I pick them up without hurting them?"

"Yes," the man said, and seemed pleased. "That is a good idea."

JungShin tucked his into his jacket pocket - he hadn't even shrugged out of it when he'd come racing in - and then took the bass off and leaned it against the amps. It all seemed surreal, but as soon as he picked up the closest one, he knew exactly who it belonged to, and what the stranger meant when he said the first gem he'd picked up would have been his. This one had a distinct YongHwa flavor to it. The same with the other two, both of them very clearly JongHyun and MinHyuk. "Can I hurt them?" he asked. They felt alive, these three. The other one felt... dead.

"No," the man said, watching him with a smile. "You cannot right now."

Apparently it could be done. JungShin decided not to think about it. "So how do we get the memories from these back to the guys?" JungShin asked, sitting back down on the amp. He juggled the crystals a little, then decided they'd be fine and put them in his pocket with the one that should have been his. "How do we keep her from doing that again?"

The man chuckled. "She's going to wish she hadn't picked you. I won't be able to do more than guide you," he added, sobering. "First, you have to make some sort of connection to them."

"Okay. And how do I do that?"

The man smiled. "Before I explain, you should eat something, and have some water."

JungShin just stared at him. "I can't do this now?" he asked.

"It will take quite a bit of energy, and you don't have a lot right now. And the food will help with your headache." He stood up. "You'll get back in; I think this is the best place for what you need to do. And... if you see the woman that kept you late, you should definitely not talk to her. She has ways of getting information she shouldn't."

JungShin winced and picked up his bass. "So... she did this." He'd forgotten about the headache until he'd mentioned it.

"Yes. "

"How?"

"That is... beyond your understanding at the moment."

JungShin laughed softly as he walked down the stairs. "At the moment? Will I ever be able to understand it?"

"Perhaps not," the man said. "And it's...."

"...Not important. Right," JungShin said, and sighed. "I'm going to hate that phrase for a while, won't I?" He pushed the door open to the back stage, and knelt by the case. He carefully put his bass away, and glanced around. Yes, there were the other guitars, and he hadn't imagined MinHyuk's drum set on the stage. So it wasn't irreversible. His shoulders relaxed. "Food, and then back here."

"I will stay here," the man said. "I mean it. Do not talk to her."

JungShin stood up, and then looked around again. "You think I'll see her."

The man looked at him seriously. "I have no doubt of it," he said, and shooed JungShin out the door.

Startled, JungShin turned around to look at him, but the door shut in his face. With a shake of his head - the day had been weird already - he set out to find something to eat.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which we find out more information. Sort of.

JungShin stood at the end of a short line at an outdoor ramyeon cart when a hand slid around his waist. "You vanished pretty fast," the woman murmured into his ear.

At the same time, the vendor asked for his order. JungShin gave it, more shaken than he let on. He moved to the side out of her reach when he finished. The woman smiled. "Ah. He found you, did he?" she asked, following. "Which means you know what's going on."

JungShin gave a short laugh, and then looked up when his order was called. He took the bowl and retreated to a table with the water. He didn't want anything stronger; he had no idea what he'd be doing that evening, and he couldn't risk it.

She sat down across from him like he expected her to. He didn't look at her. "You're hard to find," she said. He could hear the smile in her voice. "You sure you don't want to pick up where we left off?" Her foot rubbed his leg.

He shuddered, moved it out of the way, and kept eating. As long as his mouth was full, he couldn't be expected to answer her.

She laughed, and it sent unwanted shivers down his spine. Her laugh had attracted her to him in the first place. "No? Well... maybe not. I like a good challenge, and you're giving me one, all unexpectedly." She propped up her chin in her hand.

JungShin didn't look up, although he was dying of curiosity. It didn't help that the man he'd met that evening hadn't answered any of his questions.

"I didn't expect you to put up such a fight," she went on, her voice low so that no one else would be able to hear. "You barely know them. They're older than you and tease you. Why are you so loyal to them?"

JungShin swallowed his last bite of noodles, and gathered up his bowl to give back. "Why not?" he asked, and then remembered he wasn't supposed to talk to her. He blushed and went to return his bowl, tossing the chopsticks as he went. He left a different way so he wouldn't go past her, but she caught up to him and gave his ass a short caress.

"If you change your mind, I'm not too hard to find," she whispered and he froze, just a moment, when his body reacted. He wanted her, wanted to go....

"No," he said, moving away from her and turning around. Going with her meant the end of C.N. Blue. "Go away."

She pouted, an adorable expression. He shuddered. "That's so rude," she said.

JungShin bowed automatically. "I'm sorry," he said. "But I really am busy." He turned and strode off, hoping she wouldn't follow.

The door swung open as soon as he reached it. He stepped in, and then stopped as if struck, embarrassed. "I'm sorry. I didn't think to ask if you wanted anything. Would you like me to go get you something to eat?"

The man smiled at him. "No, JungShin. But thank you for thinking of me. I am well enough off." He turned and led the way back into the green room. "Did you see her?"

JungShin started when the man said his name, and then blushed. "Yes."

"And you spoke to her."

"Yes. I'm sorry."

The man smiled and patted his cheek. "You did well," he said. "I imagine it was hard."

JungShin thought about it. "Not as hard as I thought it would be," he said slowly, surprised. "Not that I want to run into her again," he added. "I'm not sure it'd get easier if I did."

"Wise," the man said, and gestured for him to sit down.

"How do I help my hyung-deul?" JungShin asked, sitting down in one of the less comfortable chairs. Not great to relax in, but for warming up with a guitar, it was ideal. He sat in it out of habit. They all did, except MinHyuk.

The man hesitated. "It will take concentration, and a fair amount of luck."

"It's not a sure thing, then?" JungShin asked. "So, if it doesn't work today, can I try again later?"

The man shook his head. "No. I'm sorry. It's tonight, or not at all."

JungShin stared at him. "And... what if I can't reach them? What happens then?"

"They remain lost. And, within a short time, North Korea will obliterate South Korea and itself."

JungShin froze. "What?" he demanded, almost hysterical. "I get this wrong, I don't make contact, and that's it? For everyone?"

"Not everyone," the man corrected him gently. "Just our people."

"She can do that?" JungShin asked. He gripped the edge of the chair, knuckles white. "Why can't you stop her?"

The man smiled serenely. "What makes you think it's her?"

"Why else would you warn me against her?" JungShin asked. "Why else would this... I mean, it's not a coincidence. And if it's not her, it's someone she works for."

The man laughed. "You have seen too many movies."

"I feel like I'm in the middle of one," JungShin admitted sheepishly, relaxing his grip and flexing his hands.

"What makes you think I'm not doing anything to stop her?" the man asked, sobering.

"She's still doing this," JungShin pointed out.

"Yes," the man said. "But I am not allowed to interfere with her directly, as she is not allowed to with me. All we can do is try to influence the one chosen. You are, so far, the fifth and last of the tests."

"Tests?" JungShin asked, tensing again, hands gripping the edge of the chair again. "Why me? What tests?"

The man shook his head. "That is not important. It is you, and you can oppose her. You have proved it already. Twice."

JungShin closed his eyes a moment and took a deep breath, trying to get a grip on the hysteria rising in him. "I happen to disagree with you about it not mattering," he said, his voice trembling, and opened his eyes again. "I'm not going to argue. What kind of concentration, and what should I be doing?"

"You need to make some sort of connection with them," the man said.

JungShin looked up, letting go of the chair. "And then? " he asked.

"Then you give them their memories."

JungShin pulled his crystal out of his pocket. "These?"

"Yes."

"Is that all, just... give these to them?"

The man smiled. "No. You'll have to activate them, to transfer their memories back. But that can wait for tomorrow. You'll be in no shape to do it tonight after this. But beware," the man added, his eyes on JungShin. "Do not let the concert tomorrow night begin without them. Or all is lost."

JungShin swallowed. "Then I'd better get started," he said, hoping he sounded more sure than he felt. He flexed his fingers again, and then got up and went to get his bass. "The best way is through music," he said, pulling it out. That was what they had most in common. He tuned it, and then sat down again. He played to warm up, aimlessly, and then started to go through the set for the concert the next night. Might as well get some practice in.

He closed his eyes, blocking out everything but what it sounded like when they performed together. He could hear them playing with him, and his shoulders relaxed. After a moment, he began to see them against his closed eyelids:

_JongHyun, his fight done, sat exhausted in the middle of the downed men he'd been fighting. More people arrived on motorcycles, but it looked like he expected them._  
***  
YongHwa carried his guitar to a dark street, unoccupied, and set up to play on it. He could almost hear the tune YongHwa had been writing earlier, the familiarity tugging at him again.  
****  
MinHyuk in the empty library, cleaning up after it had closed. He walked to the back of the library, and found a drum set sitting there. 

JungShin didn't question it, especially when MinHyuk sat down. Then he noticed, in another part, that JongHyun had picked up a guitar....

He realized what they all played and he had to smile. "I'm a Loner" was one of their best songs. "Okay," he said, without losing the others. "I've got the guys. How do I get these things to them?"

"Concentrate, and you'll be there. One at a time is going to be best," the man added. "Just pick one and go."

They hit the chorus, and JungShin took a deep breath. It took a moment, but he managed to reach MinHyuk, and mentally fished out the gem that felt like him. It surprised him that he didn't have his bass anymore, but he could still hear it so he shoved that aside and kept his attention on what he needed to do.

_MinHyuk looked up, his drumming slowing, as JungShin held it out. It hurt a bit, although he should have expected it, that MinHyuk didn't recognize him._

_But, eventually, he took the gem JungShin held out to him._  
***  
No one else even walked past the corner YongHwa stood on. He looked up like he was surprised to see someone there. He slowly took the gem JungShin offered him.  
***  
JongHyun sat on the ground against a fence, and JungShin could see his "friends" in the background, arguing or discussing something. He ignored them. They didn't seem to notice him at all, or the gem JongHyun slowly took from him. 

Then, gasping for breath, JungShin opened his eyes.

The man smiled. "Well done," he said gently. "You look like you could sleep."

"I should go home." JungShin had been drunk at least once, but never from exhaustion. He got up and staggered, catching himself on the chair. The headache had eased with his dinner, but it came back now worse than before. "I think I'd better call a cab."

He had no idea how he managed to get his bass put away and the cab called, but he did it. He stammered his address to the cabby when the taxi arrived, and collapsed into the back. He caught sight of the woman as they drove off, and hoped she wouldn't be able to follow him and show up at his apartment. He didn't see her if she had. He got inside, locked the door and kicked off his shoes and passed out on his bed.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The day after.

The sun shining on his face woke him, and JungShin rubbed his eyes as he sat up. It sounded so quiet here. By now he should at least hear YongHwa trying to get them all.... It took a moment to remember what had happened the night before.

When he did, though, he got moving, because there had to be more to it. In fact, the man had said there was more, JungShin just didn't know what it was. He checked his clock, and realized he had only a few hours and he didn't know how long the next part would take. He took a quick shower that felt amazing, pinned his hair up, and grabbed his jacket. He put it on and checked in the pocket to make sure his own crystal was still there. He froze a moment when he realized the others were gone, but then relaxed. He had given them away. He put his wallet into his pocket, got his shoes on and left, locking the door behind him.

The bus stop two blocks away had people waiting at it, so that should mean he hadn't missed a bus recently. Thankfully, as soon as he reached the stop, the bus pulled up. He boarded with the rest, showing his pass, and found a place to stand near the back near the door, holding onto one of the hanging straps. It wouldn't take long to get....

The bus slammed to a stop, and JungShin grabbed a girl who began to fall, his arm firm around her waist. She grabbed onto him and smiled. "Oh! Thank you."

JungShin smiled back and let her go. "You're welcome."

She went back to where she was standing. He didn't miss her glance in his direction, but didn't try to read it.

"Your attention please. The traffic lights are out. I don't know when we'll be able to move again," the bus driver announced over the intercom.

JungShin stiffened and turned toward the front. That was not good. He had to get there, he had to get them back or this whole thing wouldn't matter....

"Yes, I can let anyone off who wants to get out," the driver said, obviously answering someone's question and interrupting JungShin's spinning thoughts.

Not a moment later, the back door of the bus opened, and JungShin waited his turn to get off. He wondered idly if this were that woman's work, and then shrugged. If it was or not, he could do nothing to change it.

Stepping off the bus, he slipped through the cars to the sidewalk and joined the crowd flowing along it. Others opted to wind through the cars on the street, but JungShin wouldn't unless forced. It made for too much of a chance of accidents. He could still move pretty quickly, too; most people couldn't leave their cars like he could the bus. It made him glad he didn't drive.

Something caught his eye as he passed an alley, and he turned to look. He had just enough time to recognize the woman from the day before when the feelings he'd had when he'd started with C N Blue nearly overwhelmed him. He staggered to the side, earning him some glares and more than one disparaging comment. He crashed into the wall of the building with his shoulder, arms wrapped around himself, and fought them. This wasn't real. He'd worked through the inferiority and the feeling they were leaving him out on purpose.

JungShin stepped backwards around the corner of the building, trying to remember the good times, what it was like to have three close friends. Those memories stayed stubbornly away, and he clenched his fists, digging his fingernails into his palms. Might make it hard to play later, but if he couldn't differentiate, it wouldn't matter. He wouldn't be playing later.

Finally, the feelings eased, the pain in his hands becoming more immediate. Slowly, JungShin uncurled, putting a hand down to balance himself to stand up. His knees hurt, but he managed to get to his feet. He didn't even remember kneeling down. Just as he pushed away from the wall, he heard a footstep and looked up.

"Hyung?" he said, utterly confused. YongHwa, JongHyun, and MinHyuk walked toward him, all of them looking madder than he'd ever seen.

YongHwa said nothing, but JungShin stepped back anyway. He knew he didn't want them near him, he didn't want to find he had no way out. And he felt trapped already. "What... happened? I thought...."

JongHyun struck first, but JungShin had expected it after the scenes he'd seen the guitarist in and ducked out of the way. He slammed his shoulder into MinHyuk and got a blow on his back for it, but it almost opened up a way out. Before he got far, though, someone grabbed him and pulled him back.

Fighting was not his strong point. In fact, all he could do well was play bass. But JungShin would not just stand there and take this abuse. If they hadn't forgotten who they were, they wouldn't do this, and he couldn't hurt them anyway. So he struck back, blindly, not trying to hurt them so much as to get away from them. He managed (somehow) to knock JongHyun away, splitting the guitarist's lip, and the other two froze in surprise. As soon as JungShin saw the opening he took it, running out of the alley and down the street. He kept out of people's way as much as he could, but didn't turn around to look behind him. He just wanted to get to the venue and end this thing. Now.

"There you are," the woman said gently when he stopped to catch his breath, half a block away from the venue. Slowly, JungShin looked up and glared at her.

"Yes," he said, and straightened with an effort, wincing at the movement. His back hurt where MinHyuk had hit him at the beginning of the fight. "Here I am, in spite of all you've done."

She stepped closer, reaching to touch his cheek. "That looks painful."

JungShin jerked his head away before she could touch him and winced as pain shot through it. "It is, thank you. I don't know what you did, what you told them, but it still won't work. I want my friends back."

"Your friends? Who did this to you?" she asked, the compassion still on her face. It looked... wrong on her.

"They wouldn't if you hadn't made them." JungShin staggered down the street, one hand on the wall he'd leaned against . He didn't care if he looked like he'd been in a fight, as long as they could stand on stage and perform.

All four of them.

"Just give up," she murmured at his side. "You could stay with me. I'll take care of you."

He'd said too much already, and so he ignored her, focused on the stage door. He didn't think she'd touch him; she hadn't before unless he'd instigated something. Right? He didn't shake his head because it hurt, but he shrugged the thought away. It didn't matter.

JungShin touched the doorknob and the door opened in front of him. He fell in more than walked, catching himself on the wall to one side. "You've had a rough time," the man's gentle voice said. "I'm glad you made it."

"In time?" JungShin asked. He'd checked the time again just before he'd gotten off the bus, but he had no idea how long he'd been in that alley, even before his hyung-deul had shown up.

"Yes. If you can concentrate."

JungShin laughed helplessly. "I can. I will," he said. "Can I sit down, first?"

"Yes. Want some help?"

"Please. I don't know if I can move from here without it." His voice hitched with exhaustion.

The man took his elbow, and JungShin leaned on him, walking into the green room. He sank gratefully into the chair he'd used the night before and got into his pocket for his crystal. For an instant, his heart stopped when he couldn't find it, but then his hand closed on it. He sighed as he pulled it out. "What do I do?"

"Remind them of who they are."

JungShin gave him an incredulous look. "How do I do that? One at a time, or all at once, or...."

"Try to make that connection again. It should be easier now. You've made it once."

"And what?" JungShin asked.

"And do your best."

JungShin laughed despairingly, then closed his eyes, the crystal held gently in his hand.

The man was right; he reached them easier. MinHyuk was in the library, JongHyun in that same garage waiting for something with the rest of them arranged by him, YongHwa going somewhere on the street waiting for the light to change. JungShin took a deep breath and just... thought. About the group, about his friendship with each of them....

And something gave, resisted but gave, and he opened his eyes to see his own crystal glowing faintly.

"Very good," the man said, and JungShin smiled. But then his energy gave out, and he slumped in the chair, dropping his crystal. Even as the connection failed, he could hear three anguished yells.

"I can't let them see me like this," he said after a moment, struggling to rouse himself. "I can't...."

"Go get cleaned up and get dressed," the man said. "It will be fine."

JungShin's second shower of the day hurt. He found cuts and bruises he hadn't noticed he'd gotten in his mad fight to get out of the alley and get back here, but the hot water soothed them. By the time he got out and got dressed, he could hear the chatter from the other three, and he nearly fell over in relief. He couldn't, as much as he wanted to; they had a concert. He could collapse afterward.

They didn't have time to talk either, getting through hair, make-up, and wardrobe answering questions from those noonas and avoiding all other questions. JungShin was glad of that; it meant they couldn't ask him questions either. It wouldn't surprise him to have to explain a lot after. But at least there would be an after.

The adrenalin from the concert kept him going, but by the time it ended, he needed yet another shower and three days sleep. He followed JongHyun off the stage. When they reached the green room he was shaking. There was no way.... He took his bass off and blindly handed it back to MinHyuk, and then everything went black.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which the rest of them get the whole story - after a three day wait.

JungShin thought he might go insane with that incessant beeping. When he went to turn off the alarm, the movement made him groan. He hurt. A lot.

"JungShin?"

That was YongHwa. JungShin pried his eyes open and tried to get them to focus on YongHwa, but without luck. YongHwa was just a blur. Instead, JungShin just let out another moan and closed his eyes.

"Oh, no you don't," YongHwa said, shaking his shoulder. "Stay awake, brat. You've been asleep for two days, and we want answers."

"I'm tired," JungShin protested, almost whining, tempted to give in to the magnae stereotype he'd so far managed to avoid. "And I hurt."

"The doctor said you were exhausted, had pushed yourself too hard," JongHyun said, gentler.

"Not to mention that you look like you were in a fight," MinHyuk added. "Seriously, how did you hide that from us?"

JungShin whimpered. "What do you want me to answer?" he asked, rubbing his eyes.

"Everything," they chorused.

"Pick one? I might could handle that." His words slurred with the exhaustion his two days sleep hadn't seemed to even put a dent in. At least his head didn't hurt any more.

He could hear them conferring together for a moment and had to smile. Even that hurt, and he stopped. "What happened?" YongHwa asked.

"Except that one," JungShin said, and tried his eyes again. This time they opened and focused on the three older members of C.N. Blue gathered around his bed, leaning over him. "It's kind of a long story."

"How long?" MinHyuk asked.

"Well, it started when I was late to practice the night before the show, and you weren't there."

MinHyuk stared at him. "I wasn't?"

"No one was," JungShin said.

They exchanged glances. "Okay," YongHwa said. "We'll wait. You get better. I don't want to get to the middle of this and have you collapse again on us."

JungShin closed his eyes again. "Thank you," he said.

"Sleep well," JongHyun said, his hand warm on JungShin's shoulder. "We'll be here."

When he woke up a few hours later - it was dark in the room - the man who'd helped him stood next to his bed. JungShin could hear the others breathing in the familiar cadence that meant they were asleep. "Well done," the man said before JungShin could say anything. "You passed her tests."

"So... we won't end?" JungShin asked, relieved.

"Not unless someone messes up all of her tests," the man said. "But that won't happen for many years in the future, long after it will matter to you."

"After I'm dead."

The man nodded. "But you are safe from anything she might do. What you humans do to each other is something different."

"And, at least on the grand scale, out of my hands."

The man smiled. "I knew she'd made a mistake choosing you," he said, and then blurred and dropped out of JungShin's sight. Seconds later, a huge tiger reared up and put its paws on the side of the bed. That paw was bigger than his hand, and his hands weren't small. _:Remember, on the smaller scale, it is in your hands,:_ the man's voice said in his mind, and then the tiger touched its nose to his cheek.

The next thing JungShin knew, the sun shone in his eyes and he felt much better. Moving still hurt, but he could - and did - indulge in a long, luxurious stretch.

"You look like you feel better," YongHwa said, and JungShin let out a sigh, relieved.

"Much," he said. "Where are the others?"

"Gone for food," YongHwa said. "We're all hungry."

Before JungShin could respond the nurse came in. Right behind her came a bunch of other people, asking questions and demanding to know what happened. By the time they all left, JungShin wondered yet again if he'd taken his sanity in his hands when he'd joined up with C.N. Blue. One saving grace: none of the demands had come from his band mates.

"You didn't pass out again, did you?" MinHyuk asked from somewhere near his head.

"No, I'd just hoped I would," JungShin said, opening his eyes, and JongHyun laughed.

"So did the rest of us," YongHwa chimed in. "But one good thing came of that mess. Give it a couple of hours, and we can take you home."

"Where you'll all interrogate me," JungShin said. His relief at that took him by surprise. If he'd failed... he'd never have had this to not look forward to again.

"Of course. We have questions, and it seems you have answers," JongHyun said.

"It's all just appearances," JungShin said, his voice sounding shaky. They didn't seem to notice. "You have no idea how many times I heard 'that is not important' within the first five minutes after I found out something was wrong."

The three exchanged glances, then YongHwa shook his head. "No. We will wait until we get you home," he said, and JongHyun rolled his eyes.

"Fine," he muttered. "Just fine."

MinHyuk patted JongHyun's shoulder. "It's not that long, hyung," he said. "A few more hours after the last couple of days we've had won't kill you."

"So you say," JongHyun said, nearly pouting. "I don't think I believe you." MinHyuk laughed.

"Um, so... I didn't drop my bass, did I?" JungShin asked a while later.

"No. I almost did," MinHyuk said. "You gave it to me, then your eyes just rolled up in your head and you dropped like a stone."

"Ah. Sorry about that. It was... a really long couple of days."

"Stop talking about it, or I'll beat it out of you now," JongHyun said, and then his eyes widened when JungShin flinched. "I wouldn't really," he protested. "I promise. No beating, ever."

JungShin nodded and made himself relax. After a moment, he looked closer at JongHyun. More specifically, his mouth. Even three days later there should be a wound of some sort. But nothing. Had that really even been them in that alley?

The time passed slowly. JungShin dozed in and out, still tired, but the others never left as far as he knew. And, as they'd promised, in a couple of hours the doctor gave him one last exam, and then he was released into YongHwa's care. JungShin moved slowly at first, but by the time they made it out to the car, he could walk without limping.

Once home, JongHyun directed JungShin to the couch and had him sit down. "Okay," he said, and MinHyuk and YongHwa came in as well. "Start."

It took most of the afternoon, with occasional pauses for drinks and questions and one longer one as they decided what to order in. When JungShin finally finished his story, they stared at him in disbelief. Then someone knocked on the door.

YongHwa went to get the door and returned shortly with dinner. "You realize that sounds really... unbelievable."

"Try living it," JungShin said, and took a drink of his soda. "I'm just glad it's over."

JongHyun paused as he opened the food. "Are you sure it is?"

"He said it was," JungShin said. "I have no reason to disbelieve him."

"Who was he?" MinHyuk asked.

"I don't know," JungShin said.

They all stared at him. "And you trust him?" YongHwa asked.

"Yes."

"Why?" JongHyun asked.

JungShin took a deep breath. "Because he was a tiger."

They stared at him again, frozen. MinHyuk nearly dropped the take-out box he held. "A... tiger?" he asked.

"Yes." JungShin didn't feel nearly as serene as he acted.

"Like from the zoo?" JongHyun said.

"Like from mythology," JungShin corrected him. "One of those... I don't know, guardians."

"How do you know that?" YongHwa asked, rescuing the plate from MinHyuk.

"Because it talked to me," JungShin said. He leaned back on the couch and closed his eyes. "I'm tired."

MinHyuk laughed. "Yeah, I'm not too surprised. Eat."

JungShin opened his eyes again and did as he was told. That night, he slept hard.


	5. Epilog

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A nice wrap up.

Things went back to normal, or as normal as it could be for their lives. JungShin quietly answered the questions about his two days in the hospital with as much truth as he could, leaving out everything else. Eventually, people stopped asking.

A month after the incident, JungShin boarded a bus for home. It was late, which was the only reason he dared it, and he sat in the back with his eyes closed. He didn't want to look out the window because that would only make them hurt. He barely registered that the bus had stopped and someone had gotten on when that someone sat down next to him.

"I just wanted to say thank you."

JungShin opened his eyes, sat up, and turned toward her. "Th-thank you?" he stammered. Strangely, she didn't affect him like she had when they'd met.

"Yes," she said. "It's nice to be proven wrong once in a while."

"I'm... glad I could help," he said, almost automatically.

She smiled and patted his cheek. "Live well, JungShin-ah." She reached over to press the bell for the next stop. "By the way," she said and stood as the bus slowed, "those men in the alley weren't your friends. I'm sure you figured that out already." She got off as soon as the bus stopped. JungShin just watched her, still trying to process that, and only realized he had a million questions to ask her after the bus had started again.

"Okay," he murmured, settling back. " _Now_ it's over."


End file.
